Means for clearing the optical parts of altiscopes or the like.



No. 767,624. 7 PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. G. H. BEDELL & T. S. BAILEY.

MEANS FOR CLEARING THE OPTICAL PARTS OF ALTISGOPES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a, 1903. no MODEL. a snnms-snsm 1.

i l X F m 1 m .l K! m' [U M A Lil l] 1 WITNESSES. lNVE/VTOHcS. Xi kadeyfifiedell embwe LIT Bailey No. 767,624. PATENTED AUG. 16, I904,

G. H. BEDELL & T. S. BAILEY. MEANS FOR CLEARING THE OPTICAL PARTS OFALTISOOPES OR THE LIKE.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEET 2 PATBNTBDAUG. 16, 1904. c. H. BEDBLL & T. s. BAILEY. MEANS FOR CLEARING THEOPTICAL PARTS OF ALTISOOPES OR THE LIK APPLICATION TILED JULY 15, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

0 a x WITNESSES: 02 l 'mvs/vroni @ar eafll e ell W I fleadore/YfiadlegfUNITE STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BEDELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND THEO- DORE S.BAILEY, OF GREENPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, OFNEWV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR CLEARING THE OPTICAL PARTS OF ALTISCOPES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 767,624, dated August16, 1904.

Application filed July 15, 1903.

To all whom it nutty concern;

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. BEDELL, Y

of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and THEODORE S. BAILEY, of Greenport,Suffolk county, New York, citizens of the United States, have jointlyinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Clearing theOptical Parts of Altiscopes or the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention releates to meansfor removing moisture from the lenses,prisms, &c., of altiscopes, periscopes, and the like used in thenavigation of submarine boats and for keeping them dry and clear. It iswell known that where an optical instrument is used on this class ofboats or vessels the moisture present in the tube of the instrument;andwhich is unavoidablyspresent in most cases, is subject to condensationunder the influence of changes of temperature and isthen liable to bedeposited on the surfaces of the lenses, prisms, &c., so as to cloud thesame; and this invention has for its object a means for drying air andforcing it in a dry state through the op tical tube and overthe cloudedsurfaces, so that the dry air may take up the condensed moisture andclear these surfaces of the instrument. Obviously also the dry air willdisplace any moisture-laden air in the tube, and thus prevent furthercondensation.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate our invention, Figure l is asectional view of a part of a submarine boat, showing the application ofthe invention to the altiscope thereof. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalview of the preferred form of the air-drying device. Figs. 3, 4:, and 5are enlarged sectional detail views of parts of the optical tube.

A designates a part of the hull of a submarine boat, and B the turretthereof. At the side of the turret is mounted the altiscope C in asocket D. In the optical tube 0 of the altiscope are mounted the usualprisms a o and lens (Z. From the conning-tower the image received by theupper prism a and deflected Serial No. 165,708. (No model.)

downward to the prism Z) is observed through a telescope 0. So far asdescribed the construction is one already known.

This invention provides means, now to be described, for preventing thecondensation of 5 moisture in the tube 0, and particularly on thesurfaces of the lens (Z and prisms a and I).

1 is a pump of any kind for compressing air.

2 is a compressed-air reservoir, and 3 is a drier for the air.

A is a pipe which conveys the compressed air or other gas from thereservoir 2 to the drier 3, and 5 is a pipe leading from the eductionside of the pump 1 toa multipleway cock 6, which connects the pipe 5with the pipe I. This cock 6 permits the air or gas under pressure toflow from the reservoir to the drier, from the pump to the drier, orfrom the pump to the reservoir at will. In the pipe 5 is a check-valve7.

After passing through the drier the air flows through a pipe 8 up intothe turret to a cock 8, which controls its flow, thence to the opticaltube a through a pipe 9. This latter pipe' extends up in the tube 0 to apoint just above 7 the lower prism I), where it has a downwardlydirecteddischarge-nozzle 10, whereby the dry air flowing in is dischargeddirectly down onto the said prism Z).

A branch 9 from the pipe 9 extends up in the space between the wall ofthe socket D and the lower part of the optical tube and discharges dryair on the vertical face of the prism 6. These features are best seen inthe enlarged detail view of this part, Fig. 5.

The dry air flows upward in the optical tube and impinges first upon thelower face of the lens (Z and then flows by. said lens through a by-pass11 to the tube above the lens. The upper end of said by-pass, which isformed in 5 the coupling a of the tube, has a downwardlydirected portion12 at its upper end to cause the air to be discharged directly onto theupper face of the lens. After passing the lens the dry air flows up toand through the diaphragm 9 13 (see Fig. 3) at the upper prism (0, alongthe front of the said prism, and between it and the glass 1 1, throughwhich the image enters, and thence to a check-valve 15 in the capplateof the optical tube, where it passes out. This cheek-valve, whichcontrols the escape of the dry air from the optical tube to theatmosphere, is backed by a regulable spring 16, whereby the dry air maybe kept in the optical tube at any desired pressure within reasonablelimits above that of the atmosphere, and thus prevent the entry of moistair from the outside. The spring may be regulated as to tension in anyway desired. The means shown comprises a nut 17 on the screw-threadedstem of the valve.

In Fig. 1 only one chamber or vessel is shown in the drier 3; but theremay be any number of them, through which the air to be dried can pass insuccession. In Fig. 2, where the drier is seen more in detail, there aretwo of these vessels, which are alike. In this figure -18 designates theouter cylinder, closed at the top by a screw-cap 19. At the bottom ofthis cylinder is inserted a retort or holder for a deliquescent salt orchemical-sueh as calcium chlorid, for example. This holder consists oftube 20, with a screw-plug 21 in its upper end and a screw-plug 22 inits lower end. These plugs have in them apertures 23 for the passage ofair and fine gauze sheets 24, covering said apertures to prevent theescape of the salt. The lower cap 22 has apart which screws into the endof the cylinder 19, and a space 25 is formed. in it for the entry of airwhich flows up through the salt in the tube. The retort may be removedat will for recharging with salt.

The particular form of .drier shown is not specifically claimed hereinnor is this inven-, tion limited to the use of this form of drier.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination withthe optical tube of an altiscope or the like, of a source of compressedair, an air-drier connected therewith, a pipe connecting said drier withthe lower part of said optical tube. and a regulable spring check-valvecontrolling an outlet for the air at the top of said tube.

2. The combination with the optical tube, provided with an outlet forair at its top controlled by a regulable spring check-valve, and thelower prism b in the tube, of means for drying air and forcing it intothetube, and the pipes 9 and 9 adapted to direct the dried air directlyonto the faces of said prism.

3. The combination with the optical tube, provided with avalve-controlled outlet at its top, the lens (Z in said tube, and thebypass about said lens, said by-pass having a clownwardly-directedportion above the lens, of means for compressing and drying air anddelivering same to the lower part of the optical tube.

1. The combination with the optical tube, provided with a prism a,inclosed in its upper end, with a glass-covered aperture to admit theimage to said prism, and with a valve-eontrolled outlet for the airabove said prism, of means for compressing and drying air, and forcingsaid air into the lower part of said tube.

In witness whereof we have hereunto'signed our names, this 7th day ofJuly, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. BEDELL. THEODORE s. BAILEY.

WVitnesses:

FRANK TAYLOR CABLE, IVILLIAM R. SANDs.

